Fertilizer firms settle antitrust claims for $97.5 million

2:18 PM MST | January 30, 2013 | Kara Sissell

Agrium, Mosaic, and PotashCorp say they will pay a total of $97.5 million to settle class-action antitrust claims filed in 2008 by direct and indirect potash buyers. Mosaic and PotashCorp will each pay $43.75 million and Agrium will pay $10.0 million. The plaintiffs alleged antitrust violations by the North American producers beginning in 2003. The companies deny wrongdoing, but say the settlement reflects the need to avoid the cost and distraction of a protracted legal battle. “The reality is that we weighed the multiyear effort in time and resources that...